Bahasa
Halaman
Hukum
Sinervo1
AnimatingDesire:
Lacan,Deleuze,andDisneyErotica
[email protected]@gmail.comApril2011
“Whenyouwishuponastar
MakesnodifferencewhoyouareAnythingyourheartdesires
Willcometoyou”--JiminyCricket
1.Foreplay
InDecemberof1937,WaltDisneyProductionsreleasedtheirfirstfull-length
animatedfeature,SnowWhiteandtheSevenDwarfs,throughRKORadioPictures.
Thefilm,basedontheBrothersGrimmfairlytaleSnowWhite,offeredasimple
enoughifsomewhatinexplicablestory:theyoungheroineSnowWhiteisplotted
againstbyevilstepmother,whoisjealousofWhite’sbeauty.Enragedbyhermagic
mirror’sstatementthat“SnowWhiteisthefairestinalltheland,”thestepmother
ordersaservanttotakeWhiteintotheforestandkillher.Theservant,however,
takespityontheyounggirlandwarnshertorunaway,whichshedoes,eventually
findingherwayintothehomeofsevenprospectordwarfs.Furthercutenessensues,
buteventuallyWhiteisfelledbyapoisonappledeliveredtoherbythestepmother
(whoisdisguisedasahag).Ratherthandying,thebeautifulyoungladyfallsintoa
deepsleep,andisonlyawakenedforherperpetualslumberbythekissofaprince.
Rollcredits.
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Inthenearly75yearssince,DisneyStudioshasproducedandreleased
scoresmoreanimatedfeatures,nearlyallinvolvingmagic,love,andahappyending.
Thefilmstendtopatternthemselvesonthissuccessfulformula,andthoughthe
storiesarealwaysdifferent,theyallshareincommontheoneconstantthatmakes
allstoriespossible:want.DesireisthelynchpinofthegeneralDisneyanimated
feature,asitalsoservesasacatalystinnearlyallofhumanbehavior.Thisclaimis
onethatwouldbesharedtovaryingdegreesbyFrenchthinkerandpsychoanalyst
JacquesLacan,aswellasFrenchphilosopherGillesDeleuze.However,thetwo
mightwelllookatthestatement,andmoreimportantlytheDisneycartoonfairytale
feature,fromdifferentangles.LacanwouldviewamovielikeSnowWhiteor
SleepingBeautyorPocahontasandlikelyseeinallofthemthefailureofdesireto
traversethefantasyandglimpsethereal,aswellasevidenceoftheabsenceof
sexualrelationships.Deleuze,ontheotherhand,wouldlikelycomeawayfroma
screeningofBeautyandtheBeastorTheLittleMermaidmuchmoreinterestedinthe
positivedesiring-productionofthemediumitself—thatis,animation.Whereboth
mightagree,intheend,isintheuncoveringoflack—Lacanthroughanexamination
ofcontent,andDeleuzethroughanexplorationoflimitationsimposedbythe
paranoiacmachinesinherenttocapital.Whatevertheimplications,itseemsthatan
appraisaloftheDisneyanimatedfeatureoffersmultipleopportunitiestofindpoints
ofintersectionaswellasdebatebetweenLacanandDeleuze.Consequently,suchan
appraisal—madefromthetheoreticalperspectivesofboththinkers—mayprovide
insightintoadiscussionofthetwoinrelationtooneanother.
2.Love,Disney-style
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ALacanianinvestigationintothecustomsofDisneyanimatedfeatureswould
probablybeginwithafocusonthetypicalromanticrelationshiptobefoundina
Disneyfilm.BytargetingrelationshipsinDisneymovies,wecanseefroma
Lacanianperspectivehowsuchrelationshipsreinforcenotionsoflackanddesire,
andultimatelyLacan’sstatementthatthereisnosuchthingasasexualrelationship.
Tobeginwith,anexaminationofthenarrativesofmanyDisneyfilmsmakes
evidentthefailureofdesiretoconfrontourobjecta.Thefirstpieceofproofforthis
claimcanbefoundbyrecognizingtheaddressingoftaboosinDisney.ManyDisney
animatedfeaturenarrativesinvolvethethreateningoftaboo,whichclearlygestures
towardssexualizedrepression.TakeforexampleTheLittleMermaid.Basedona
HansChristianAndersenstory,Disney’sTheLittleMermaidtellsthetaleofAriel,a
youngandrebellioushalf-woman,half-fishwhodreamsoflifeonland,fallsinlove
withahumanprince,andisluckyenoughtohavehimloveherback.Everyoneof
thesedesiresrepresentssometaboo:Ariel’slongingtoexperiencelifeonthesurface
issimplynotsharedbyanyoneelseinherunderseasocietyandthelovebetween
herandEricisessentiallybestiality;thisisquitesimilartoBelle’slovefortheBeast
inDisney’sBeautyandtheBeast,whichreflectsthetabooofbestialityeveninits
title;furthermore,bothSleepingBeautyandSnowWhitehavestorylinesthatinvolve
amanbeinginlovewithacomatosewoman,whichpointstowardsnecrophilia;the
DisneyversionsofLadyandtheTramp,TheAristocats,Oliver&Company,and
Aladdinareallessentiallyclasswarfarestoriesinwhichstar-crossedloversfight
againstsocietalcasteboundaries;andPocahontasdealswithissuesofinterracial
romance.Alloftheseaspectsreflecttotheperceptiveviewerthepresenceofsexual
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repressionatworkinsocietythroughthesilencingofthatexquisiteexcitementand
fearovertheOther’sdesirethatLacancallsjouissance.InSeminarXX,Lacanasserts
thatrepressionservesasproofthatjouissanceisnot“appropriate”toasexual
relationship:
[If]jouissancecomestosomeone(celui)whospeaks,andnotbyaccident,itisbecauseitisabitpremature.Ithassomethingtodowiththerenowned(fameux)sexualrelationship,concerningwhichhewillhaveonlytoomanyoccasionstorealizethatitdoesn’texist.Itisthussecondratherthanfirst.TherearetracesofitinFreud’swork.IfFreudspokeofUrverdrängung,primalrepression,itwaspreciselybecausethetrue,good,everydayrepressionisnotfirst—itissecond. Peoplerepressthesaidjouissancebecauseitisnotfittingforittobespoken,andthatistruepreciselybecausethespeaking(dire)thereofcanbenootherthanthefollowing:quajouissance,itisinappropriate(elleneconvientpas)…Repressionisproducedonlytoattest,inallstatements(dires)andintheslighteststatement,towhatisimpliedbythestatementthatIjustenunciated,thatjouissanceisinappropriate—nondecet—tothesexualrelationship.(Encore61)
ThispassageilluminatesLacan’spointthatthesexualizedrelationshipisrepressed
becauseitdoesnoservicetojouissance.Extendingthisargument,wecanclaimthat
taboosarerepressedforjustthesamereason:whateverjouissancederivedfrom
taboodoesnotfitwiththeLacanianviewofeitherjouissanceorsexuality.
Accordingly,theseDisneynarrativesdocumenttheeffortsoftaboorelationships
tryingtojustifytheirjouissance,wheneventhejouissanceofnon-taboosexual
relationshipisinappropriate.Furthermore,consequenttoalltheserelationships
beingtaboosisthefactthatallarethereforestruggles.Thisiswellinkeepingwith
theLacanianperspectiveondesire,asaLacanianvantagepointcantellusthatthe
directpathtowardsone’sdesireisalmostalwaysdoomedtofailure.Lacanscholar
BruceFinkiteratesasmuchinhisbookLacantotheLetterwhenhewrites,“desire
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isstructurallyunsatisfiable…Havingisstatic,beingisapursuit”(LacantotheLetter
23).FinkpicksthisopinionupfromLacan’sownÉcritswherewearetoldthat
desirealwayslies“elsewhere,”outsidewhatwebelievetobetheobjectofour
yearnings:
Amanofdesire,ofadesirethathefollowedagainsthiswillintowaysinwhichhesawhimselfreflectedinfeeling,dominationandknowledge,butofwhichhe,unaided,succeededinunveiling,likeaninitiateatthedefunctmysteries,theunparalleledsignifier:thatphallusofwhichthereceivingandthegivingareequallyimpossiblefortheneurotic,whetherheknowsthattheOtherdoesnothaveit,orknowsthathedoeshaveit,becauseineithercasehisdesireiselsewhere;itbelongstobeing,andman,whethermaleorfemale,mustaccepthavingitandnothavingit,onthebasisofthediscoverythatheisn’tit.(Écrits277)
Whatthisexcerptmeansisthatregardlessofwhetherwepursueanobjectforour
owngratification,orifwetrytogratifytheOtherinthepursuitofjouissance,there
willalwaysbesomethingatissuetospoilsatisfaction.Thekeypointisthatitisthe
“discoverythatheisn’tit”whichisperpetuallythethingatissue,i.e.thatweinvent
thepreventionofourdissatisfaction,justasweinventourowndesiresinthefirst
place.Belledreamsofalifeoutsideherlittlevillage,butatfirstfindsithorrifying
andoppressive.Aladdinlongsforrichesandluxury,butfindsthetrappingsof
princehoodtobequiteempty.Disneyfilmsarelitteredwithinstancesofcharacters
achievingtheirhearts’desiresonlytofindthatwhattheytrulywantissomething
else.Andwhileallofthefilm’spresentviewerswithapproximationsofhappy
endings,itisacertaintythatanydirect-to-videosequelproducedwillpresentthe
characterssomedissatisfaction,breakingupthe“static”ofhavinginfavorof
replacingitwiththe“being”ofpursuit—oftenincarnatedinsomenewtaboo.
3.TheCaseoftheMissingDisneyVagina
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Whilethepresenceofthetaboopointstowardsexualrepression,thelackofa
sexualrelationshipisoftensymbolizedintheroleofwhatwecancalltheDisney
Princess.TheDisneyPrincess,thatis,thefemalesubjectofaDisneyfilm,isoften
relegatedtothesidelines,deprivedofagencyandthereforerelegatedthestatusof
the“not-whole”feminine.WecaninferfromareadingofLacan’sSeminarXXthat
jouissanceistheexcessproducedbylack,andthatthefemaleisthislackbecause
sherepresentsasignifierthatcannotsignifyanything:
There’snosuchthingasWoman,WomanwithacapitalWindicatingtheuniversal.There’snosuchthingasWomanbecause,inheressence…sheisnot-whole…“Woman”(la)isasignifier,thecrucialproperty(propre)ofwhichisthatitistheonlyonethatcannotsignifyanything,andthisissimplybecauseitgroundswoman’sstatusinthefactthatsheisnot-whole.Thatmeanswecan’ttalkaboutWoman(Lafemme).
Awomancanbutbeexcludedbythenatureofthings,whichisthenatureofwords…Thefactremainsthatifsheisexcludedbythenatureofthings,itispreciselyinthefollowingrespect:beingnot-whole,shehasasupplementaryjouissancecomparedtowhatthephallicfunctiondesignatesbywayofjouissance.(Encore72-73)
Thismeansthatwomanisnotcompleteuntoherselfbecauseanyjouissanceshe
carriesissupplementarytotrulyphallicjouissance.Therefore,thewomancanonly
offersupporttotheman’sjouissance,becausesheismostoftenthelackthathe
seekstofill.AndbecausetotheLacanian,womanrepresentsalack,thenitis
thereforenaturalforwomantobeexcluded.Thisisquitecompatiblewiththe
customsoftheDisneyanimatedfeaturenarrativeandcharacterization.Letustake
asourfirstexampleDisney’sSleepingBeauty.Thetitleofthisfilmaswellasits
morewell-knownqualitiesareenoughtoshowusthatthetitularcharacterherself,
PrincessAurora,movesherownstorylittle,butaslightlycloserlookatthe
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narrativeisfurtherrevealing.SleepingBeautyopenswithAurora’sbirth,whichis
quicklyfollowedbytheKing’sbetrothalofhertoPrincePhillip.Herthree
dodderingfairygodmothersarrivetoblessher,butbeforetheycancompletetheir
rituals,anevilwitcharrivesandcursesAurora,foretellingherdeathatagesixteen
byprickingherfingeronaspinningwheel’sspindle.Aurora’sroyalfatherasksthe
fairygodmotherstobreakthecurse,butalltheycandoismodifyit:insteadofdying
whenshepricksherfinger,shewillinsteadfallintoadeepslumber,onlytobe
awakenedbyhertruelove’sfirstkiss.Wearenowfifteenminutesintothis75-
minutefilm,withtheentirestoryline’spremiselaidout,andthemaincharacterhas
yettoissueanutterance(andtherewillbeanadditionalthreeminutesofplot
developmentbeforeshedoesspeak).ThisisaperfectexampleofwhatLacanmeans
byexclusion,andthefactthatthekeytowakingtheheroineisakissfromthehero
isaperfectexampleofthewoman’sjouissanceservingonlyassupplementarytothe
man’sphallicfunction.
ThesituationisquitesimilarinSnowWhiteandtheSevenDwarfs.Like
Aurora,SnowWhiteisputintoadeepsleepandawakesonlywhenthedashing
princearrivesandkisseshersleepingform,andlikeAurora,Whitegenerally
remainsblissfullyunawareofthedangersurroundingher:sheisthreatened
withoutprovocationandthensavedbythehuntsmanalmostbeforesheevenknows
thatsheisbeingthreatened.Shemovesfromthisman’sarmsintothearmsofseven
moremen,andonlyleavesthemwhensheiswhiskedawaybythefinalman,her
handsome,unnamedprince.
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Takingyetfurtherexamples,inBeautyandtheBeastBelleistradedlike
chattelbetweenherfatherandtheBeast,inTheLittleMermaidArielisrescuedfrom
UrsulabyEric,inCinderellatheheroineisdeliveredfromherlifeofdrudgeryfirst
byherfairygodmotherandultimatelybyPrinceCharming,inHerculesMegarais
resurrectedbythedemy-godfromthedepthsofHades,andinAladdinJasmineis
firstoffereduptomultiplesuitorsandthenfinallysavedbyAladdin’squickwit.
EvenTheLionKingtakesthisconceptofthenot-wholefemininesubject,powerless
andobliviouswithoutthemasculinesubject,andfindsitreflectedinnature,
showingthatmanyfemalelionscannotstanduptoonemalelionbecausetheir
functionistohunt(supplementthemale),notfight.Torebelagainstatyrannical
alphamale,aprideoffemalelionessescallsononemalelionandafewofhis
bumblingbuddies.AndifwelookintothestoriesoflatterworkslikeMulan,weare
presentedwithawomanwhoneedstodisguiseherselfasamalebeforeshecanuse
anyagency.
AlloftheseexamplesonlyfurtherreflecttheLacanianviewofwomanasnot-
wholeandherjouissanceassupplementarytoman’s.Butthisconceptofthe
feminineincompletesubjectcanbeextrapolatedintosexualityaswell.Inthe
relationshipofthenot-wholefemaleobjectoftheDisneyanimatedfeaturetoher
counterpartmalesubject,anabsenceispresent,justasthereisaLacanianviewthat
whatmarksthefeminineasnot-wholeisherlackofaphallus,i.e.hervagina.What
createsjouissanceinmanishisexcitementoverfillingthewoman’slack,whichcan
beinterpretedliterallyasfillinghervaginawithhisphallus.Becausethewoman
lacksapenis,sheisonlyapartialobject,whichincitesthemale’sjouissance.With
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theDisneyPrincess,however,thevaginaistotallyabsentbynatureoftheDisney
filmbeingrated“G”forgeneralfamilyconsumption.Thisistheothersideof
jouissance,theabjectterrorthataccompaniestheexcitement.Whenpresentedwith
thepartialobject,weareabletoreconcileourselvestoit,butthewhollyobscured
partialobjectisthenightmareinthesamesensethattheimpossiblewholeobjectis
thenightmare.Inordertodealwiththisnightmare,wemustdecidethatnosexual
relationshipexistsinthefirstplace,whichisexactlywhattheDisneyanimated
featuredoes.
Thisbringsustothemainpointofthesection,whichhearkensbacktothe
earlierdiscussionoftaboos.InDisney,thetabooisneverbroken,andthefeminine
subjectisnevermadewhole.TheendingofBeautyandtheBeastseesBellegiven
herhandsomeprincefromthehuskofthebeastlycreatureshedesiredmoments
before,allowingtheirlovetoprogresswithouttheconnotationsofbestiality.In
spiteofthis,consummationremainsabsent.AtthecloseofDisney’sTheLittle
Mermaid,Arielispermanentlytransformedintoahumanbeingsothatshecan
marryPrinceEric,againcancellingoutthepossibilityofcross-speciesromance,
renderingtheirlovesociallyacceptableandnormative;consummationonceagain
goesabsent.BothAuroraofSleepingBeautyandSnowWhiteofSnowWhiteandthe
SevenDwarfsarerousedfromtheirtorporbeforeanythingtoonecrophiliccan
happen,andagainthereisnoconsummation.Disney’sPocahontaspresentsa
greaterchallenge,asthetaboothereistheinterraciallovesharedbyNative
AmericanPocahontasandwhitesettlerJohnSmith.Sothefilm’sconclusionsees
PocahontasremainintheNewWorldwhileJohnSmithreturnstoBritain.Anocean
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separatesthelovers,andobviouslyconsummationoftheirlovemustremainabsent.
OneexceptionwouldbeAladdin,wheretheyoungheroremainsapauperbutis
allowedtohavearelationshipwiththeprincessanyway.Butinthisexample,the
sultansimplyabolishesthelawthatsaysonlyaprincecanmarryaprincess,
effectivelynullifyingthetabooqualitiesofsuchaunion(andagain,consummation
isnowheretobeseen).
Whatalltheseexamplesaretellingofisthatwhilethetaboonatureofthe
typicalDisneyromancerelationshipisindicativeofsexualizedrepressionona
societallevel,thefactthatthetaboostaysunbrokenimpliesthattheDisneyfilm
itselfisrepressed.ThisnotonlyholdswiththeLacanianideaofsexualized
repressioninhabitingeverylevel(becausethereisnorelationbetweenthesexes),
butalsowithLacan’spointthatnomatterwhat,one’s“desireisalwayselsewhere,”
i.e.thatwhatonethinksheorshewantsisrarelywhatonegets,andifonedoesget
it,heorsheimmediatelydecidestowantsomethingelse.
4.DisneyBaroque,DizneyPr0n
Inaway,theabsenceofallthiscopulationgoesbacktopointsmadebyLacan
in“OntheBaroque,”theninthchapterofSeminarXX.“[A]llofthejouissances,”
Lacantellsus,“arebutrivalsofthefinalitythatwouldbeconstitutedifjouissance
hadtheslightestrelationshipwiththesexualrelationship.”(LacanEncore112)
Whatthismeansisthatjouissance,thatferventexcitedanxietyovertheexcitement
oftheOther,isatitscoredevoidofanysexualitywhatsoever,becausewhatthesplit
subjectreallywantscannotbegiven.Lacanfindsampleevidenceofthisinthe
baroque:
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IneverythingthatfollowedfromtheeffectsofChristianity,particularlyinart—andit’sinthisrespectthatIcoincidewiththe“baroquism”withwhichIaccepttobeclothed—everythingisexhibitionofthebodyevokingjouissance—andyoucanlendcredencetothetestimonyofsomeonewhohasjustcomebackfromanorgyofchurchesinItaly—butwithoutcopulation.Ifcopulationisn’tpresent,it’snoaccident.It’sjustasamuchoutofplacethereasitisinhumanreality,towhichitneverthelessprovidessustenancewiththefantasiesbywhichthatrealityisconstituted.(LacanEncore113)
Whatbaroqueartpresentstotheviewerislovewithoutcopulation,nudityand
near-nuditybereftofsex.Becausethetrappingsofbaroquismexhibitsuchstrength
ofdesireandhumancontactwithoutovertsexualityandcopulation,they
demonstratetheLacanianviewthatthephallicfunctionisnotaboutwantingsex,
butaboutwantingobjecta.Lacansubsequentlygoesontosaythat“Nowhere,inany
culturalmilieu,hasthisexclusionbeenadmittedtomorenakedly”(LacanEncore
113),butthebaroquemaybetrumpedonthismeterbymanyoftheDisney
animatedfilms.ThevastmajorityofDisneyanimatedfeaturesareaboutromantic
love,butnowhereinanyDisneyfeatureisclearfornication.Thisgesturestowardsa
gapthattheLacanianviewwouldpositexistsinalldesire;essentially,desire’s
failuretosatisfy.Toaidthisdiscussion,itbehoovesustoexploretheexistenceof
twoDisney-basedmediathathavenoofficialtiestoactualDisneyanimatedfeatures
(andaremostlikelycondemnedbytheDisneycorporation):Dizneyandcomicbook
artistJ.ScottCampbell’srecent“FairyTaleFantasies”calendars.Dizneyis,in
essence,pornographicartofDisneycharacters,usuallyrenderedinthesamestyle
asthatusedintheDisneyanimatedfeaturefromwhichthecharactersaretaken.
PerhapsSnowWhiteishavinganorgywiththesevendwarfs,orCinderellaisbeing
whippedbyherwickedstepmother,orBelleandtheBeastaremakinglovedoggy-
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style.Sometimescharactersfromtwomoviesanimatedinsimilarstyleswillcross
overandJasminewillbedrawnembracingAriel,orcharacterswillbedepicted
engagedinatypeofslashfiction,GeniefuckingAladdinfuckingtheSultan.Itmay
evenbesomethingassimpleasAuroraperformingfellatioonPrincePhillip.
Cinderella&stepmotherviadrawn-sex.com Ariel&Jasmineviatoon-sex-now.org Belle&Beastviatoontoon.com
Whateverthespecificcontent,DizneyisalwaysanattempttoeroticizetheDisney
canonthroughparody.Putasbasicallyaspossible,DizneyiswhatDisneywould
looklike—ifitwerepornographic.
J.ScottCampbell’sFairyTaleFantasiescalendars,ontheotherhand,are
attemptstoeroticizeDisneyfromtheotherdirection.Campbell,apopularcomic
artistwhobuilthisreputationonhislasciviousrenderingsofthefemaleform,took
hispopulardrawingstyleandappliedittothewomenofDisneyanimation.Instead
ofretainingagivenDisneyfilm’sstyleandalteringitscontent,Campbellavoided
overtpornographyinfavoroferoticizingDisneythroughhistechnique.InFairy
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TaleFantasies,nosexactsareportrayed,butallfiguresarenonethelessdepicted
erotically:
Lefttoright:FairyTaleFantasiesversionsofSleepingBeauty,BeautyandtheBeast,andtheLittleMermaid.Allimagesviajscottcampbell.com
ThereasonthatbothDizneyandFairyTaleFantasiesarerelevanttoourdiscussion
ofdesireinDisneyanimationisthatbothareattemptstoaddresstheimpossibility
ofphallicjouissancethatDisneyanimatedfeaturesshowus.Firstly,theyattestto
thegappresentedbythestrangelyeroticizedDisneyanimation.Disneyprincesses
andprincessesaredepictedasbeautifulfiguresintheirownworlds,buttheydonot
representreality.Clearly,theexistenceofDizneyandFairyTaleFantasiesdisplay
thedesirethatcanbeinspiredbyDisneyfilms,buttheyalsodisplaythegapinthat
desire,thefailuretosatisfy.IftheDisneyfilmswereenoughtosatisfythedesire
thattheycreate,outsideconsumersofthemwouldn’tfeeltheneedtoaltereither
thecontentorthestyleoftheminanattempttoeroticizethem.Essentially,these
imagesproducedbyfansspeaktotheurgetoplugthegapbetweenthestrangely
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eroticizedbutnotovertlysexualizedDisneywomen(ormen)andtheunsatisfiable
desirethattheyproduce.Turningbackonthemselves,theseattemptstoplugthe
gap,toresolvetheLacanianfailureofdesire,serveasevidencethatthefilmsare
beingexperiencedasagap.Inthisway,theLacanianmodelofdesiregivesusan
accurateportrayalofwhatisactuallyhappening(or,attheveryleast,whatcan
actuallyhappen)whenDisneyanimatedfeaturesareconsumed.Evenfurther
tellingisthattheseattemptsarealwaysafailure:theydonot,andlikelycannot,
synthesizeboththeDisneyformandpornographiccontentsuccessfully.Eroticizing
eitherthestyle(asFairyTaleFantasiesdoes)orthecontent(asDizneydoes)
perpetuallyfallsshortofproducingsatisfactionortraversingthefantasy.Most
importanttoourdiscussion,though,isthattheproductionofthesetypesofthings
atallmeansthattheDisneyfilmitselffailstofillthesplitsubject’slack.
5.AnAnimatedDiscussionwithDeleuze
Fromthesesections,aLacanianpositiononDisneyfilmcanbesummedup
thusly:whatDisneycreatesisagap.ThedesirerepresentedinDisneyanimated
featuresandthedesiretheyevokeinviewersalloperateonprinciplesoflack.The
lacktheDisneymovieproducesisitsproduct—essentially,webuylackfromDisney.
ForDeleuze,however,thisisallwrong.TheDeleuzianmodelwouldviewaDisney
filmandseetwothings:productivedesiring-machinesandlimitednovelty.Thisis
becausetheDeleuzianperspectivewouldfirsttakeintoaccountthestageupon
whichallofthisisbeingplayedout:animation.Becauseanimationisproduced,
DeleuzewouldseeaDisneyfilmasbeingnotaboutaninherentlack,butinsteadthe
needformoreproduction.WhiletheLacanianmodelhasusmicro-examinethe
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contentofDisneyfilms,seekingouttheircommoncustoms,theDeleuzianmodel
stepsoutsidetoviewthemediumandthesystemofcapitalinwhichthatmediumis
produced.
ForDeleuze,animationisfirstandforemostadesiringmachine.Thismeans
thatthemerefactthatananimatedfilmisproducedisevidenceofatypeof
desiring-production.Seeinganimationasdesiring-productionopensupamuch
morepositivistviewofdesireinDisneyfeatures,andaDisneyanimatedfeatureis
surelyatypeofdesiring-machinebecauseitcanintersectwiththebodyinvarious
ways.Infact,animationisalmostdefinitiveofdesiring-production,asitimpliesa
chainofflowsnotunlikethatofadesiringmachine:
Desiring-machinesarebinarymachines,obeyingabinarylaworsetofrulesgoverningassociations:onemachineisalwayscoupledwithanother.Theproductivesynthesis,theproductionofproduction,isinherentlyconnectiveinnature:“and…”“andthen…”Thisisbecausethereisalwaysaflow-producingmachine,andanothermachineconnectedtoitthatinterruptsordrawsoffpartofthisflow…Andbecausethefirstmachineisinturnconnectedtoanotherwhoseflowitinterruptsorpartiallydrainsoff,thebinaryseriesislinearineverydirection.Desireconstantlycouplescontinuousflowsandpartialobjectsthatarebynaturefragmentaryandfragmented.Desirecausesthecurrenttoflow,itselfflowsinturn,andbreakstheflows.(Anti-Oedipus5)
InthispassagetakenfromtheirbookAnti-Oedipus,DeleuzeandhiscolleagueFélix
Guattariexplainthateverythingthatexistsisproducedbydesire,whichcreatesa
flowtobeeternallyinterruptedandredirectedbydesiring-machines.Inour
discussion,wecanseedesireasleadingtotheproductionofanimation,which
redirectstheflowofdesirethroughitsvariousprocesses,andsubsequentlyflows
thedesiretotheviewers,someofwhomsubsequentlyredirecttheirdesiresintothe
productionofthingslikeDizneydrawingsorFairyTalesFantasiesimages.Instead
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ofviewingtheanimationasagapingvortexofexistentiallack,Deleuzewouldsee
themediumitselfasproduction,asmaking.Thisisoneessentialdifferencebetween
theLacanianperspectiveandtheDeleuzianview:theformerseesthesignifierand
thefailureofdesiretobelocatedtherein,whilethelatterseestheprocess,
experiencingthepositiveproductioninherentinthe“binaryseries”oftheform.
6.CapitalIdeas
EvenmoreimportanttoDeleuzethanthepositivemodesofdesirefoundin
themediumofanimationwouldbethebroaderimplicationsofcapitalandnovelty
hewoulddetect.Infact,DeleuzemightviewtheentireLacanianargumentasjust
anothercaseofparanoiaclimitation.InDeleuziantheory,therearetwotypesof
push:thelimiting,constrainingparanoiacpushandthenovel,univocal,and
expansiveschizoidpush.IntheDisneyanimatedfeatureform,Deleuzewouldfind
bothdrivingforcesatwork,bothparanoiacconstraintandschizoidnovelty.Where
LacanwouldlookattheDisneymovieandsaythattheviewerispurchasinglack,
Deleuzewouldsaythatwhatwearereallybuyingishalfaunitofnovelty.Thisis
becauseeachDisneyanimatedfeatureiscreative(novel)enoughtoentertainand
evencaptivatetheaudience,butsimpleenoughnottochallengetheaudienceinany
essentialsense.TheimportantdifferencesfromfilmtofilmfromaDeleuzian
perspectivewouldbefoundinthecadenceofdifferentactor’svoicesortherises
andfallsofeachnewcinematicscore.ThesearetheschizoiddrivesofDisneyfilms,
becausetheyinvolvedifferencesofproductionanddifferencesofform.Meanwhile,
thoughthesedifferencesmeaneverything,andviewersdolovethem,Deleuze
wouldalsofindacritiqueofcapitalinthefilms,becauseinhisviewcapitalwantsto
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makemoneyratherthanbetterpeople—whichiswhytheDisneyanimatedfeature
straddlesalinebetweenthenovelschizoidandtheconstrainedparanoiac.Dueto
this,thefilmsaremadedifferent,butstopatjustenoughdifferencetomakeviewers
buyaticketratherthanthink.Disneyfilms,withtheirrepetitivestorylinesand
relationshipstructuresconstrainingthevitalityandnoveltyofthedifferent
beautifulvistasinAladdinandTheLionKing,wouldappeartoDeleuzetoperfectly
encapsulatecapitalism.ThisisbecauseDeleuzeviewscapitalismashavingboth
constrictiveandenergizingorvitalisticcomponents:
Thedecodingofflowsandthedeterritorializationofthesociusthusconstitutesthemostcharacteristicandthemostimportanttendencyofcapitalism.Incontinuallydrawsneartoitslimit,whichisagenuinelyschizophreniclimit.Ittends,withallthestrengthatitscommand,toproducetheschizoasthesubjectofthedecodedflowsonthebodywithoutorgans—morecapitalistthanthecapitalistandmoreproletarianthantheproletariat…Whatwearereallytryingtosayisthatcapitalism,throughitsprocessofproduction,producesanawesomeschizophrenicaccumulationofenergyorcharge,againstwhichitbringsallitsvastpowersofrepressiontobear,butwhichnonethelesscontinuestoactascapitalism’slimit.Forcapitalismconstantlycounteracts,constantlyinhibitsthisinherenttendencywhileatthesametimeallowingitfreerein;itcontinuallyseekstoavidreachingitslimitwhilesimultaneouslytendingtowardthatlimit.(Anti-Oedipus34)
Putsimply,capitalismwantstobringusnovelty,whichtendstowardsthelimitsof
theschizoid,socapitalismmustalwaysalsopushbackagainstthisschiziclimitwith
paranoiacconstraint.Putevenmoresimply,capitalismmustwalkafineline.This
isexactlywhataDisneyanimatedfeaturedoes.Intheschizoidview,allmustbe
seenasunivocal,derivingfromandexistingasone.Hypothetically,theschizoid
seeseverythingasconnected,andaschizophreniccanpaintapictureinwhich
everythingandanythingthateverhasbeenorwillbewillimplyorisimpliedby
anythingandeverythingelse.Theparanoiacdrive,ontheotherhand,breaksthings
Sinervo18
downintopartsthatmayormaynotevenrelatetooneanother,parsingout,
compartmentalizing,structuring,ordering,andcategorizing(thoughoddlyenough,
theparanoiacdriveisitselfinasenseunivocal,becauseitsuncheckedprogress
parsesandcompartmentalizestosuchanendlessextentthatit,inessence,
totalizes).Similarly,theDisneyanimatedfeaturebothproducesandlimitsdesireat
thesametime,runningtheenginesofbothdesireproductionthroughandthe
constrictionofdesirethroughpredictabilityand“safe”content.TheDisneyfilm,
afteritscapitalisticfashion,needstohavequalitiesthatarenovel,alive,vital,and
interesting,butnottoonovel,alive,vital,andinteresting.Consequentlyitvacillates
betweentheschizicfosteringofdifferenceandparanoiacconstrictionofdifference.
Thisideaofschizoidandparanoiacdrivesastheypertaintocapitalcanalso
beappliedtothingslikeDizneyandFairyTaleFantasies.WhiletheLacanian
perspectiveonconsumer-producedDisneyeroticaisthatitisthereturnofthe
repressed,theDeleuzianwayoflookingatthingswouldseethemasthefreeplayof
schizoiddesirethatsuchobjectsasDisneyanimatedfilmsthemselvesmighthave
takenweretheyconstrainedbytheparanoiacbackpushofcapitalism.Inthe
Deleuziansense,thedesirous,sexualcomponentsofDisneyfilmsarenotrepressed
becauseofagapindesire,butbecauseoftheparanoiacmachinesinherentto
capital.
7.ClimaxPoints
Everythingelsetakenintoaccount,itisfurtherimportanttonotethatthe
Deleuziancampwouldfindtherealproblemtobeoneoflimitation.ForDeleuze,
thesexualcomponentoftheDisney-desire-repressionexplorationwouldbeonly
Sinervo19
oneaspectthatislimitedandconstrainedbythecapital’sparanoiacmachines.
Othersmightincludevibrancy,phenomenalresonance,andemotionalengagement.
Thisfinalquality,likethesexualizedcomponentsofDisneydesire,canbepushed
andconstrictedaccordingtothelogicsofcapital.Capitalism,Deleuzemightsay,
doesn’tliketogiveusmoviesthatoverlyengageusinanyway,beitsexual,
emotional,intellectual,orotherwise,becausetobesoengagingonanyoreverylevel
theschizicmustbepushedtoofarandtheparanoiacdoesnothavethechancetocut
outenough.Amovieconstrainedbycapital,whichDisneyanimatedfeaturesmost
certainlyare,canonlygosofaronanyregister.Theregisterthathasbeenthemost
importantforacontrastofDeleuzeandLacanistheregisterofdesire,andinthis
discussionhasoftenbeensexualdesire.ButthisisexactlytheproblemthatDeleuze
wouldhavewiththepsychoanalyticdiscussionofDisneydesire,thesameproblem
Deleuzehaswithpsychoanalysisingeneral:ititselfisconstrainedbyitsfocusonits
owndiscourseofphallicfunctionanddesirethatitendsupbeingreductive.
Deleuzebelievesthatpsychoanalysiscanexplaineverythingwhilesimultaneously
missingeverythingbecauseithastooperatewithinitsowndiscursivepracticesand,
liketheparanoiacdrive,breakseverythingdownintocomponentparts.Deleuze
looksatLacanandseesacorrectviewpoint,butonelimitedbyitsownboundaries.
Sowheredoesthisleaveus?Intheend,delvingintothestructuresofdesire
tobefoundinDisneyanimatedfeatureshasbeenrevealinginseveralways.To
beginwith,theexplorationhasshownusanessentialdifferencebetweenLacanian
methodsandDeleuziantechniques:Lacanianthoughtprocessesfocusinonone
aspectandgodeep,muchthewaytheanalystismeanttofocusonanyone
Sinervo20
utterancefromtheanalysand,becauseitmaybetheutterancethatisakeyslip.
Deleuzianthoughtprocesses,ontheotherhand,stepbackfromthecontentto
examinethecontext—ofthemedium,andthesysteminwhichthatmediumis
produced.Itseemsthatthetwotacksarequitedifferent,buttheremaybeapoint
ofsynthesisthathasbeenglossedover.Thissynthesispointisfoundinthedesire
itself.Earlierinthisdiscussion,wepositedthatsubject’sobjecta,thetrueobjectof
thesubject’sdesire,isalwayselsewhere.Thisisnotcoincidental;thesubject
manufacturesreasonstokeepondesiringandkeeponpursuing.Thisisn’talltoo
differentfromtheDeleuzianviewofdesireasproductive.Itmaybeasmallpointof
intersection,butinadiscussionthatrevolvesarounddesire,itisasignificantone.
Finallythen,itseemsthatwhetheritisAladdin’syearningtoberichandhave
Jasmine,theanimator’slongingtocreatealastingworkinfilm,theconsumer’s
ambitiontoeroticizeeitherthecharactersortheartstyle,orourdesireinthispaper
tomakesenseofitall—desireisbothproducedandproductive,bothsubjectedand
subjective,atoncecreationandmaster.
“AdreamisawishyourheartmakesWhenyou’refastasleep
IndreamsyouloseyourheartachesWhateveryouwishfor,youkeep
HavefaithinyourdreamsandsomedayYourrainbowwillcomesmilingthrough
NomatterhowyouheartisgrievingIfyoukeeponbelieving
Thedreamthatyouwishwillcometrue”--Cinderella
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